IPOB rejects planned Boko Haram rehabilitation camps in Imo state

September 30, 2024

By Samuel Ogunsona

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has vowed to resist the Nigerian government’s alleged plans to establish rehabilitation camps for ‘repentant’ Boko Haram terrorists in Imo State.

According to IPOB, there’s no Federal Government presence in the South-East, and they won’t allow these camps to operate in their territory, specifically in Ehime Mbano, Ohaji Egbema, and Owerri North Local Government Areas.

IPOB’s Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, issued a statement accusing the Government of trying to dispossess communities of their ancestral lands and heritage. IPOB sees this move as an attempt to exploit their resources and compromise their safety.

Powerful said, “They have tried all forms of land grabbing techniques with different names such as RUGA, and these all failed. Now they want to import so-called displaced persons from Northern Nigeria, a distance of thousands of kilometres away from their locality and homeland into Imo State.

“These people never set up skills acquisition programs for the millions of jobless youths in our land but consider bringing in Boko Haram foot soldiers into South-East in the name of skills acquisition for internally displaced persons.”

According to him, “The Directorate of State of the Indigenous People of Biafra wants to inform the Nigerian government and Hope Uzodinma that we are aware of the real intention of this so-called IDP rehabilitation centre in Imo State.”

Powerful , who vowed that people of the South-East “will not allow such a wicked infiltration act to go on in Alaigbo,” said “The United Nations is fully aware of the persecution, subjugation, and intimidation Ndigbo are facing in the hands of the rest of Nigeria and their government.”

He said “The UN knows that Nigeria has not established or encouraged any infrastructural or industrial development in Alaigbo except prisons and military installations.

“So, we cannot allow this IDPs training camp for training of Fulani repented Boko Haram terrorists to stand in our territory especially the one proposed in Ehime Mbano LGA, Ohaji Egbema LGA and Owerri North in Imo State.

“The United Nations never established any project in Igbo land, but now they agree to bring an IDP camp to Imo State. We are making it precisely clear that it will not be accepted nor will it work.

“This project of the Nigerian Government is to commit mass murder of innocent Northern children in this IDP camp and then turn around as always to point accusing fingers at IPOB in order to blackmail our genuine cause for the liberation of our land and people and turn international outrage against the Biafra struggle.

“It is imperative that we raise this alarm ahead of this project to avoid this evil agenda from happening and for the sake of history.

“The International Community should compel the Nigeria government to desist from this project because IPOB has already exposed their agenda.

“We are warning the Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma, to stop being a stooge for the federal government of Nigeria against the safety and interest of Ndigbo.”